Metal-shearing machine.



C. D. McDONALD.

METAL SHEARING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12'. 1916.

. QM 0 A a, m a E r M. m k m M W m J om 6 S A w W W m \m 4 a c. 0.McDONALD. METAL SHEARING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 12,1916

Patented Ma '22,1917.

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c. 0. MCDONALD. METAL SHEARING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY I2, 1916.

Patented May 22,1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I 7 225(9) Cizariesg% lzalai' "c. 0. McDONALD.v METAL SHEARING MACHINE.APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, I916.

Patented May 22, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- harles C. D. McJJONALD. METAL SHEARING MACHINE.APPLICATION FILED my I2, 1916.

Patented May 22, 1917.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

' Mwzgw STA CHARLES D. MODONALD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TOMCDONALD MACHINE CO.,

' OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

METAL -SHEABING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Patented May 22, 1917.

Application filed July 12, 1916. Serial No. 108,841.

To all whom may concern:

- Be it known that 1, CHARLES D. McDon- ALD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing proper position thereon.

at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Metal-Shearing Machines, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a machine for shearing a lithographedsheet of metal, into a plurality of elongated scroll-edged blanks, whichare subsequently fed into a die-press for the purpose of having cantops, bottle tops, etc, with a lithographed design therein, stampedtherefrom.

One object of the inventlon is to provide means for centering theselithographed 1 sheets of metal in a position on the machine of thepresent invention which will correspond to the position which the saidsheets occupied when they were placed in the lithographing press,thereby enabling the sheets to be cut into elongated blanks with thelithographed portions occurring in the invention is to feed the saidsheets into position to be-oper: ated upon by the shearing dies of thepresent machine in such manner as to maintain them in the centeredposition in which they were placed prior to the feeding operation}.

A further object of the invention is to provide means fortrimming thesides; of, the sheets as they are being fed through the machine. y

A further object of the invention is to provide. a plurality ofcentering members A further ob'ect of against which the work is abuttedprior to the feeding operation. These centering members are so arrangedas to position the work when abutted thereagainst in the/samecenteredposition in which it was placed when secured in the lithographing press.A further object of the invention is to move one of these centeringmembers out of position prior to the feeding operation, whereby the workis not deflected out of its centered: position by engagement with thecentering member. I

A further object" of the invention is to grip and hold the centered workin centered position until it is brought into position to be engaged bythe feeding mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for advancing thework,

after it has been centered, into position to be engaged by the feedingmechanism, and to further provide means whereby this initial advancingor carrying means may be held from operation if the user is not ready tohave the work advanced to the feeding mechanism.

The invention further consists in the features of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed. Inthe drawings:Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with theteachings of the present invention;

Fig. 2, an enlarged plan view of the rear or feeding end of the machine;

Fig. 3, a vertical section through the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 4, a section on line 4-4: of Fig; 2;

Fig; 5, a detail section along line 5-5 of Fig. 4, and showing thesliding head for the shearing dies;

Fig. 6, a detail showing the means for sheet of metal having designs orfigures lithographed thereon into a series of scrolledged blanks, whichare subsequently fed into a die-press, and can tops, bottle tops, etcL,formed therefrom. It is, of course, essential that the final productcoming from the die-press shall have the lithographed portion in properposition thereon, and hence it is necessary that such sheets of metal beso cut as to bring the proper lithographed portions at the proper pointsupon said blanks.

Therefore, it is necessary previous to the cutting operation to centerthe work in the same position it was centered when the lithographingoperation was performed, "so that the cutting dies are striking inregistration with the arrangement of designs placed upon the work by theli 'hographmg operation. Owing to variations in the size of theseblanks, it is necessary to trim the sides thereof before the shearingoperation, and to perform this trimming operation while the work ismaintained in a position corresponding to the position it was held induring the lithographing process.

The above-named bjects are capable of being carried out by means of themechanism which is to be described. The machine shown in the drawingsfor illustrating the present invention comprises a base 9. Upon thisbase 9 is mounted a table 10, to the front end of which is secured ahead 11 formed with suitable guideways, in which travels the movableshearing die 12. This shearing die cobperates with a stationary shearingdie 13 and the two dies coiiperate to sever the work into scroll-edgeblanks.

The shearing mechanism and its associated parts are fully shown anddescribed in the patent of C. D. McDonald and C. E.

. Ennes, No. 1,194,728, issued August 1.5, 1916,

for metal shearing machines. A detailed description of this mechanism istherefore not 1 deemed necessary in the present application,

and it is thought sufficient to say that the work is fed to the shearingdies by means-of reciprocating feed bars 14, thereby moving it in a stepby step movement toward said dies, and that the work is centered withrespect to the shearing mechanism by giving it an additional movement atthe end of each feeding stroke by means of reciprocating centeringmembers 15. The foregoing is fully described in the McDonald and Ennespatent above referred to.

The featuresof the present invention'are positioned at the rear orreceiving end of the machine, and comprise mechanisms for placing thework in the same position it was placed in the lithographing press, andmeans for carrying the work forward after such centering operation andfor trimming the side edges of the work during said forward movement.

Referring now to the means for placing the work in the same position itassumed in the lithographing press, said means comprise two fingers 16,positioned on a carrying plate 17 and adjustable back and forth on saidplate by means of a slot and bolt connection 18 (see Fig. 2) with saidplate. These fingers 16 are in a position corresponding to the positionof certain centering members on a lithographing press. A third centeringmember 19 is provided, which lies along one side edge of the work and ina position corresponding to the position of a third centering member ona lithographing press. This centering member 19 is shiftable-in natureand is intended to be moved out of the way When the work is advancedafter having been placed against the centering members 16 and 19.

There are thus three'members provided against which the work is abuttedto center it, such three members corresponding in position to threemembers on the lithographing press, and hence when the work is abuttingthe members 16 and 19, it is centered in the precise position it wascentered in the lithographing press. After being so centered, it isnecessary to carry the work for- Ward in this centered position until itis engaged by the feeding mechanism; and for holding it during thiscarrying movement spring clips 20 are provided, carried by the plate 17.a v

The carrying movement is produced by causing the carrying plate 17 totravel toward feed rollers 21. This plate 17 is secured to a slidingmember 22', which travels within guides 23 and is pulledtoward the feedrolls 21 by means of a spring 24.- The plate 17 is returned to normal,position by means of a cam 25 operating against a roller 26 on apivoted arm 27., which is connected by a link 28 to a lug or ear 29depending from the member 22. The point where the cam 25 changes fromits high part to its low part is indicated by the.

numeral 30 in Fig. 4. It will be seen that the change from the high tolow part is abrupt, giving the arm 27 a quick release formward movement.The tension exerted by the spring 24 causes the plate 22, together withthe link 28 and arm 27, to all move so as to carry the plate 17 towardthe feed rolls 21 as soon as the roller 26 passes off from the high partof the cam 25. Thus, the work held'to the plate 17 by the spring clips20 is carried forward to the feed rolls 21. The grip of the clips 20 issufliciently strong to hold the work to the plate 17, but is not strongenough to interfere with the action of the feed rolls 21 in feeding thework forward. This cam 25 is carried by a shaft 31, which is driven bymeans of a sprocket 32 and a chain 33. The chain 33 is driven .by asprocket 34 on a shaft 35, and upon this shaft 35 is secured a sprocket36 driven by a chain 37, which chain is driven by a sprocket 38 on ashaft 39, to which shaft is attached a gear 40 meshing with a gear 41 ona main driving shaft 42, although other suitable means for driving theseparts may be employed.

Also mounted upon the shaft 31 and driven thereby is a cam 43 having ashort high part 44 arranged to engage a roller 45 upon a member 46,which member is provided with a slot 47, so that it straddles the shaft31. This member 46 is formed with a head 48 at its upper end, which headseats within a recess 49 in the under face of the By referring now toFig. 4, it will be.

seen that at the time the low part of the to be carried forward at thetime when the cam is opposite the roller 26, the high part of the cam 43will'be in engagement with the roller 45, thereby depressing the member46 and pulling the head, 48 out from the'recess 49-, so that the plate22 isfree to move forward when the arm 27 is released and the'spring 24allowed to act to so pull the plate.

The reason for this locking device is that it may sometimes happen thatthe workmen will not wish to allow the sheet of work plate 22 wouldmove. If such is the case, then by holding on to the bar 17 until. afterthe high part 44 of the cam 43 has passed by the roller 45, the member46 willbe car.-

ried upward by the spring48 and the head' 48 seated within the recess49, whereby the plate 22 is checked against movement until the camsshall again assume the positions to allow the arm 27 and plate 17 tomove.

as; otherwise, should the side edge of the work abutted against saidstop loo-irregular or'of a slanting nature, such irregularity or slantwould, if the'centering member 19 remained stationary while the work waspassing by, cause a movement of the. yvork out of its previouslycenteredposition, and:

.ing operation-. It is necessary. to perform this, of course, wouldentirelydestroy. the

v utility of the centering means. 35

The stop 19 is in the form of a roller and travelsin a slot 50 on thesurfaceof' the table. 'The roller is carried by an arm 51, to which itis connected by a slot'and bolt connection 52, so as to rendertherolle'r- The arm 51 is carried by a pin 53, which extends through.the

slightly adjustable.

table and is pivotally mounted therein; The portion of the pin belowthetable has se cured thereto an arm 54 carrying a roller 55'. This roller55. is in position to be en- 'gaged by the cam surface 5610f a member 57carriedby a rod 58, which rod in turn is connected with the member 22.Thus, the member 57 is moved forward with the forward movement of theplate 22, and .the cam surface 56 will engage the roller- 55, causingthe arm 54 to swing,- which in turn will move the arm51, carrying theroller 52 in. I- 'the direction ofthe arrow (Fig. 2.) and, I away 'fromthe side of the work, to allow t,he work to pass freely thereby. By atranging the means for moving the roller 55' so that they are controlledby the move-f.

inents of the sliding member 22, the roller f is moved out of the way.in correct timing to;- the adv'ance'of the work; -A spring 59' isemployed topull the arm.

6 I 54 and its associated parts back .to normal position after the"workhas" beenfed for-e ward. Theworkzis advanced the for.-

149,. leavin ward movements of the plate or bar 17 into a positionbetween the feed rollers, which have been designated bythe generalnumeral 21, These feed rollers consist of an upper feed roll 60 and alower feed roll 61,

' and in the form shown the upper feed roll is providedfwith a strip: ofrubber or other frictional material 62; There are two sets of these feedrolls, as will be seen from Fig.

5, both of which are exactly alike in configuration. Thefeed rolls 60are mounted upon a shaft 63, and the feed rolls .61 upon a shaft 64.-The shaft 64 has positioned thereon, at its'end, a gear 65 meshing withv a gear 66 on the feed roll 63; and the gear 65 is-in mesh with a gear67 of reduced diameter, which is in mesh with a gear '68 'onl thecross-shaft 35. Thus, the feed rolls are driven. in unison and inopposite directions. a laying to the-outside of each of the feed rollsv60 is a cutting disk 67, and lying to this trimmingoperation while thework is 'still in the position it was placed in when 'abuttedagainst themembers16 and 19, and

by arranging the cutters and feed rolls in the manner specified, thework is delivered directly to, the cutter mechanism in its centeredposition and trimmed in accordance.

said feed bar in a step by step movement 1nto position to be acteduponby the shear-Y chine and its operation is, however, fully and willnot be gone. into in detail in con-. nection with-the present-case.

The operation it is thought will b under.- stood from the foregoing,butbrie y is as follows: The "-work is placed with its rear edgeabutting against both of thecentering members 16 and with its sideedge'abutting against 'the centering member 19, and then as the'machineoperates, the cams'43 and 25 move into position to release the arm 27and withdraw the head 48 from the recess the movable member 22 free tobe carrie forward by the action of the "spring 24. The forward movementof the member 22 causes the plate-17 to travel forthe outside of each ofthe feed rolls 61 is f -in g'mechanism.. This portion of the -m a-'described in the patent of McDonald and -Enne's, No. 1,194,728,heretofore referred to 105 After the work-.has-been thus trimmed, it isdischarged by the rolls 60 and 61 into position to be engaged by thefingers of the re- .ciprocatingffeedbar 14 and advanced by 110 trimmers67 and\ 68 than a predetermined ward with the Work held thereto by thespring fingers 20. As the plate moves forward, the cam surface 56 of themember 57 acts against the roller 55, swinging the arm 54, which swingsthe arm 51 and moves the roller 50 in the slot 50 in a direction awayfrom the side edge of the work. Thus, the work passes freely by thiscentering member and into position between the feed rolls 60 and 61, andby the action of said rolls, it continues to move in a forward directiontoward the shearing mechanism, the side cutting the surplus materialfrom the sides of the work as it passes through the feeding rolls. Afterhaving passed through these rolls, it is delivered in position to betaken up and further advanced in a step by step movement by the actionof the reciprocating bar 14, and during such step by step movement iscut into scroll-edged blanks.

I claim:'

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of shearingmechanism, means for feeding the work into position to be acted upon bysaid shearing mechanism,

means for positioning the work previous 'to the feeding operation, meansfor gripping and carrying the work forward in such position to a pointwhere it is acted upon by the feeding mechanism, and means for lockingthe movement of the mechanism for carrvingthe work to the feeding meansat other than a predetermined time, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of shearing mechanism, means for feeding the work inposition to be acted upon by the shearing mechanism, centering membersfor positioning the work previous to the feeding operation, means forcarrying the work forward in such centered condition into position to beacted upon by the feeding mechanism, tension mechanism for operatingsaid work carrying means in one direction, and means for locking thework carrying means against movement at other time, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of shearingmechanism, means for feeding the work in positionto be acted upon by the shearing mechanism, centering 'members forpositioning the work previous to the feeding operation, means forcarrying the work forward in such centered condition into position to beacted upon by the feeding mechanism, tension mechanism for operatingsaid work carrying means in one direction, means for locking the workcarrying means against movement at other than a predetermined time, andcam mechanism controlling the operation of said locking means,substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the class described,

' gage means,

the combination of a fixed table, cutting mechanism supported by thetable, means movable with respect to the table for carrying the workinto position to be operated upon by the cutting mechanism, centeringmeans on the table, centering means on the carrying ineans, said workbeing abutted against said centering means previous to the carryingoperation and centered there by previous to movement of the carrying 7'means, and means for moving the centering means on the table out fromthe path of travel of the work when the carrying member begins itsmovement and maintaining said centering means out of contact with 9 thework during the entire carrying movement, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a fixedtable, cutting mechanism on the table, means movable with respect to thetable for carrying the work into position to be operated upon by thecutting mechanism, gage members on the carrying means for the rear endof the work, a gage member for one side edge of the work mounted inthe-table, said work being abutted against said gage members previous tothe carrying operation, and

means for moving,the gage for the side edge of the work out of the pathof travel of 9 the work at the commencement of the carrying movement andmaintaining it out of engagement with the work during the entirecarrying movement, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a fixedtable, feeding rolls on the table, side trimming cutters associated withsaid feeding rolls, a movable barlike member in front of said feedingrolls, gage means for the rear edge of the work carried by said bar-likemember, springgrip work holder means carried by said barllke member andengaging and gripping the work as the latter is placed against the meansfor moving said barlike member to bring the work held by the holdermeans into the bite of the feeding rolls, said holder means having aless gripping power than the feeding rolls, and said feeding rollsactingsolely to release the work from the holding means, whereby thework is delivered to the feeding rolls in thesame position it assumedwhen gaged against the bar-like member, substantially as described.

7. In a machine. of the class described, the combination of a fixedtable, cutting mechanism supported by the table, means movablewithrespect to the table the work into position to be operated upon by thecutting mechanism, a gage member on the'table for a side edge of thework and against which the work is placed pre- I VlOllS to the carryingoperation, and means 130 for carrying I

